Man jailed over knife fight stabbing at car wash

A MAN has been jailed for stabbing the owner of a car wash during a knife fight over a parking space.

Shamal Osmani had left his Ford Fiesta in a space at a car wash in The Coneries in Loughborough, on the understanding he would pay money to the owner, Simran Virk.

But instead, Osmani tried to leave without paying a penny.

Mr Virk seized the keys from the Fiesta and the pair punched each other before Osmani grabbed a kitchen knife out of the Fiesta’s boot, while Mr Virk armed himself with a craft knife.

And now Osmani (31), of Limehurst Avenue, Loughborough, has been sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court for the attack on March 30, 2017.

Simon Evans, prosecuting, described the fight, which began with pushes and punches and escalated to Mr Virt squirting cleaning fluid at Osmani before trying to flee the scene in his car.

As he drove off in his Audi A3, Osmani kicked the car and Mr Virt got back out of the vehicle.

Mr Evans said: “Osmani takes a kitchen knife from the boot of the Fiesta. He then rushes at Mr Virk and begins to assault him with the knife.

“Mr Virk then takes a craft knife out of his pocket.”

Mr Evans said that during the violence that followed, Osmani received a number of cuts to his face and Mr Virk was stabbed in the chest.

After the knife fight, Mr Virk then ran towards his office but was pursued by Osmani.

Mr Evans said: “There was no lock to the office door and he desperately held on to the handle to prevent Osmani getting at him again.”

The police were called by a frightened customer at the car wash and Osmani was arrested.

Both men were taken to hospital for treatment, with Mr Virk having suffered a three-centimetre stab wound to his chest, which required him to be kept in hospital overnight. Osmani was treated for the cuts to his face, which also needed stitches.

Initially, Osmani was charged with attempted murder but he denied that charge and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was jailed for five years and four months.

Nicola Moore, representing Osmani, said her client was of limited intellect and has a slight mental impairment.

She told the court: “The altercation occurred as a result of a small sum of money that was expected for the parking of the vehicle.

“The complainant confiscated the keys and held them to ransom.” She said that Osmani, believing he was under threat, armed himself with a knife.

She said: “This was an extremely nasty incident. The defendant had significant stitches and scars.”

Detective Constable Gemma Dempsey investigated the incident. She said: “Osmani’s actions were totally unnecessary and unprovoked. He attacked the victim with a knife, leaving him with serious injuries. He has since recovered physically but the attack will live with him forever.

“Carrying and using a knife is a serious offence and the defendant now faces a lengthy prison sentence for his actions on that day.

“Knife crime is among the force’s priorities and our successful ‘Lives Not Knives’ campaign has been supported by many partners since it was first launched. Among the proactive work adopted as part of this campaign has been to educate young people in schools and through youth engagement activities that carrying a knife is not a status symbol and comes with serious consequences.”